United States · United States Congress · 18 October 1985
Declares that it is congressional policy to prohibit the number of Soviet nationals admitted to the United States to serve as members of the Soviet mission at United Nations (U.N.) headquarters from substantially exceeding the number of U.S. nationals who serve as members of the U.S. mission at U.N. headquarters, unless the President determines that the admission of additional Soviet nationals would be in the interests of the United States. Directs the Secretary of State to report to the Congress every six months on the number of Soviet nationals admitted to the United States because the President determined their admission would be in the national interest and on their duties with the Soviet mission. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Secretary and the Attorney General should report to the Congress within six months on a plan for ensuring that the excess number of Soviet nationals admitted due to a routine replacement of personnel does not exceed the five percent limit.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 1985
Authorizes the President, on behalf of the Congress, to present a gold medal to Sargent Shriver, in commemoration of the Peace Corps' 25th anniversary and in recognition of his contributions as its first director. Authorizes appropriations up to a specified amount. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to sell bronze duplicates of the medal bearing the Peace Corps' emblem, the names of its past directors, and the likeness of Sargent Shriver.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to direct the President, in providing assistance to developing countries, to: (1) place a high priority on conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests; and (2) take certain steps (including engaging in dialogues on conserving forest resources and information exchanges with recipient countries, supporting projects and activities which offer alternatives to colonizing forests, supporting related training and research programs, helping to end destructive agricultural practices, and denying any assistance for certain activities harmful to the forests). Directs the President, whenever feasible, to accomplish the objectives of this Act through projects managed by private and voluntary and other nongovernmental organizations. Requires the annual report to the Congress on foreign aid programs to include a report on the implementation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize appropriations to help developing countries protect and maintain wildlife habitats and develop sound wildlife management and plant conservation programs. Requires each country development strategy statement or other country plan prepared by the Agency for International Development (AID) to include a detailed plan to assist that country in the conservation of biological diversity. States that, whenever feasible, such protection, maintenance, management, and conservation activities shall be accomplished through projects managed by private and voluntary organizations and other nongovernmental organizations. Directs AID to allocate at least a specified sum for projects managed by such organizations. Directs the Administrator of AID to take certain steps, including: (1) cooperating with appropriate organizations; (2) looking to the World Conservation Strategy as an overall guide; (3) engaging in dialogues and exchanges of information with recipient countries which stress the importance of conserving biological diversity; (4) supporting training and education which improve the capacity of recipient countries to prevent loss of biological diversity; and (5) the denial of any assistance for actions which invade or significantly degrade national parks or similar protected areas. Requires the annual report to the Congress on foreign aid programs to include a report on implementation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1985
Declares that the Congress deplores the President's notification to the U.N. Secretary General that the United States is withdrawing from the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, and reaffirms its support for the international rule of law and the role of the Court.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 1985
Veterans' Job Training Amendments of 1985 - Amends the Emergency Veterans' Job Training Act of 1983 to decrease the amount paid by the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to the employer of a veteran under a job training program to 30 percent of such earned wage beginning with the fourth month of such employment period. (Currently, the Administrator pays 50 percent, regardless of the employment training period). Directs the Administrator and the Secretary of Labor to provide a program of counseling services for veterans participating in a job training program and to make such veterans and their employers aware of the availability of such services. Requires the Administrator to also make such veterans aware of other supportive services such as readjustment counseling. Provides for the appointment of a case manager to each veteran participating in a job training program. Authorizes appropriations under such Act through FY 1986 and extends through 1988 the availability of funds for such job training programs. Provides for payments to employers of veterans participating in job training programs in the event that funds are appropriated for FY 1986. Provides alternate dates for the payment of such assistance in FY 1986. Permits a veteran who is allowed a monthly training assistance allowance under a program of apprenticeship or other on-job training to elect to have such allowance paid to the employer. Requires the Administrator to make all participating veterans aware of the availability of such election. Directs the Administrator, not later than four months prior to the expiration of such provisions, to report to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees on the implementation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1985
Authorizes the President, on behalf of the Congress, to present a gold medal to the parents of Father Jerzy Popieluszko in recognition of their son's accomplishments. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for the sale of bronze duplicates of the medal.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 1985
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to eliminate the second concurrent resolution on the budget and thus provide for the annual adoption of a single concurrent resolution on the budget (budget resolution). Sets forth maximum Federal budget deficit amounts for each of fiscal years 1986 through 1990 providing for the incremental reduction of the deficit to zero by 1990. Prohibits either House of Congress from considering or adopting a budget resolution or a revision thereof providing for budget outlays exceeding revenues by more than the prescribed maximum deficit amount. Requires the Congress to complete action on any reconciliation bill or resolution to: (1) an original budget resolution by June 15 of each year; or (2) a revised budget resolution within 30 days after the revision is adopted. Provides that no amendment that would increase specific budget outlays or reduce specific revenues set forth in a budget resolution or reconciliation bill as reported shall be in order in the House or the Senate, unless such amendment provides for offsetting adjustments in other outlays and revenues to ensure that total outlays are not increased and total revenues are not reduced. Requires each Senate and House committee to report its subdivisions of allocated budget outlays and new budget authority within ten legislative days after the budget resolution is agreed to. Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate, after the Congress has completed action on the budget resolution for a fiscal year, to consider legislation that, if enacted, would: (1) provide for or require budget outlays or new budget authority in excess of the appropriate committee allocation reported in connection with such resolution, unless the legislation is favorably reported by the Committee on Appropriations of the House involved with a certification that the appropriate committee will take actions necessary to assure that enactment of such legislation will not result in a deficit exceeding the maximum deficit amount applicable; or (2) provide for new budget authority or spending authority or reduce revenues so that the resulting deficit would exceed the maximum deficit amount applicable. Requires the conference report on any legislation providing new budget authority or new or increased tax expenditures to disclose the information required to be disclosed in committee reports on such legislation. Requires the Federal budget transmitted to the Congress by the President each year, and revisions thereof, to set forth levels of outlays and revenues resulting in a deficit not in excess of the applicable maximum deficit amount. Permits the President to transmit alternative budgets satisfying such requirement. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: (1) to estimate the levels of total revenues and budget levels for each fiscal year; (2) to estimate the rate of real economic growth during that year; (3) to determine whether the deficit for such year will exceed the applicable maximum deficit amount and whether such excess is statistically significant; and (4) if either Director determines that the maximum deficit amount will be exceeded, to submit a report to the President and the Congress specifying the amount of such excess, whether it is statistically significant, the estimated rate of real economic growth for that year, and the percentages by which automatic spending increases and relatively controllable expenditures shall be reduced during such year in order to eliminate such excess. Requires the President, upon receiving such a report, to: (1) issue an order that eliminates one-half of such excess by suspending or uniformly reducing (not below zero) automatic spending increases under Federal law for such year and the other half by sequestering such amounts of budget authority as are necessary to reduce each relatively controllable expenditure by a uniform percentage; and (2) send a message to both Houses of Congress identifying the total amount and percentage by which automatic spending increases are to be reduced, the total amount of budget authority to be sequestered, the amount of budget authority to be sequestered for each relatively controllable expenditure, and the account, department, establishment, project, or function affected by the cut in budget authority. (Authorizes the President to issue such an order if the reported excess is not statistically significant.) Directs the President to issue such order: (1) within 14 days after receiving such report if the estimate for real economic growth for the fiscal year is zero or greater; or (2) within 30 days if the estimate for real economic growth is less than zero. Authorizes the President, during such 30-day period, to submit to the Congress a joint resolution to: (1) reduce the deficit to an amount not exceeding the applicable maximum deficit amount; or (2) suspend the requirements of this Act for such fiscal year. Permits the President's message to the Congress to include alternative ways to reduce the deficit to an amount not exceeding the maximum deficit amount. Permits the Committee on the Budget of the House or the Senate, within ten days after the President has issued such an order, to report a joint resolution superseding such order. Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate to consider or agree to any such resolution which, if enacted, would cause the fiscal year deficit to exceed the maximum deficit amount. Sets forth House and Senate procedures for consideration of such a resolution. Waives specified provisions of this Act in any fiscal year for which a declaration of war has been enacted. Makes this Act applicable through FY 1990.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) Poland should comply with basic human rights agreements to which it is a signatory, such as the Helsinki accords, and initiate a policy of national reconciliation; (2) the prosecution of those responsible for the death of Father Jerzy Popieluszko should be supported by Poland; (3) human rights monitoring committees in Poland should be supported; (4) the free flow of information on the activities of such committees can improve human rights policies in Poland and the continued improvement of human rights there would better relations between the United States and Poland; and (5) the President should convey Congress' concerns to Polish officials and to U.S. allies.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1985
Declares that the Congress supports the efforts of the democratic forces in Chile to achieve a peaceful return to democratic government. Expresses its view that the National Accord for the Transition to Full Democracy is an important step toward that goal. Calls upon the Government of Chile, the armed forces, and all the leaders of all sectors of Chilean society to demonstrate their commitment to a genuine transition through a process of dialogue, negotiation, and consensus.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 1985
School Excellence and Reform Act - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1987 through 1991 to make payments for programs of: (1) general improvement and excellence in education; and (2) reform and equity in education. Provides that no funds are authorized to carry out this Act for any fiscal year in which the amount appropriated to carry out each of the following provisions of law does not equal or exceed the amount appropriated for such purpose in the preceding fiscal year: (1) chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981; (2) chapter 2 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981; (3) title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, relating to bilingual education; (4) the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act; and (5) the Education of the Handicapped Act. Sets forth (after reserving specified amounts for certain U.S. territories and possessions) formulas for State and local allocation of payments for general improvement and excellence in education. Provides, under such local allocation formula, for certain increases in the amount of such payments on the basis of numbers of children eligible to be counted for purposes of special needs funding under specified provisions of subpart 1 (Basic Grants) part A (Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies) of title I (Financial Assistance to Meet Special Educational Needs of Children) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Sets forth (after reserving specified amounts for payments to certain U.S. territories and possessions) formulas for State and local allocation for reform and equity in education. Provides, under such State allocation formula, for certain increases in payments based on numbers of children eligible to be counted under the aforementioned ESEA provisions for special educational needs funding. Authorizes the State educational agency to establish the relative weights of factors under such local allocation formula, but requires that such formula be composed of only the following factors: (1) the number of children aged five to 17, inclusive, who are eligible to be counted under the aforementioned ESEA provisions for special educations needs funding; (2) the graduation rate; (3) the absentee rate; and (4) the number of low-achieving students. Permits those general improvement and excellence funds which are allocated to local educational agencies to be used for: (1) pursuit of general educational excellence and improvement of instruction in mathematics, the sciences, communications skills, foreign languages, and technology; and (2) where necessary, for guidance and counseling. Permits those reform and equity funds which are retained by a State under specified provisions of this Act to be used to administer and carry out categorical programs and projects. Permits those reform and equity funds which are allocated to local educational agencies to be used for the development, expansion, or improvement of any of the following categorical programs and projects: (1) early childhood education; (2) school day care; (3) in-service teacher training; (4) dropout prevention; (5) effective schools; and (6) improvement of secondary schools basic skills instruction. Requires State applications for allocations of general improvement and excellence payments and reform and equity payments for any fiscal year under this Act to: (1) meet specified requirements under the General Education Provisions Act; and (2) in the case of reform and equity payment allocations, describe the intended use of funds to be retained by the State to enhance State reform efforts. Allows a local educational agency, in any fiscal year, to submit a single application for an allocation of general improvement and excellence funds or an allocation of reform and equity funds, or both. Permits two or more local educational agencies that propose to conduct joint programs and projects from funds for general improvement and excellence to file such application as a consortium or other combination. Prohibits a local educational agency from applying for an allocation of reform and equity funds unless the total number of children age five to 17, inclusive, in the schools of such agency who are eligible to be counted under the aforementioned ESEA provisions for special educational needs funding exceeds the lesser of 5,000 or 20 percent of the total enrollment of such schools. Requires local educational agencies, in order to receive either general improvement and excellence or reform and equity allocations, to have on file with the State educational agency an application which includes a description of the programs and projects to be funded and a plan for the improvement of the selected educational areas covered by such programs and projects. Requires such local educational agency or consortium applications, or application renewals, to also contain assurances that: (1) the programs and project are designed and implemented in consultation with the parents and classroom teachers of the children to be served; (2) the funds received under this Act will supplement and not supplant non-Federal funding; and (3) the local educational agency will comply with specified maintenance of effort requirements which the State educational agency must enforce. Requires each local educational agency receiving an allocation under this Act for any fiscal year to submit to the State educational agency evidence of progress in particular areas for which funds were expended or evidence of general improvement in the educational system, such as: (1) reductions in, or maintenance of acceptable levels of, absenteeism, discipline problems, and dropouts at the secondary level; (2) more instructional time; and (3) smaller class size. Authorizes the State educational agency, at the State's discretion, to conduct audits on a sampling basis to verify the accuracy of such submissions. Terminates a local educational agency's eligibility to obtain an allocation under this Act for more than three fiscal years, unless the evidence submitted demonstrates progress as verified by the State. Authorizes the Secretary, from specified amounts reserved from reform and equity funds, to make business involvement matching grants to local educational agencies. Sets the maximum amount of any such grant at 50 percent of the fair market value of any donation by local business concerns to the local educational agency for the conduct of programs and projects under this Act. Allows such donations to be in cash or in kind, and may consist of equipment, the services of business personnel, or training provided to the local educational agency.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 1985
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for services performed by a physician assistant under the supervision of a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that, in accordance with the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and other specified human rights agreements, the Soviet Union should: (1) drop all charges against Elena Bonner and restore the rights to travel and free expression to her and Doctor Sakharov; (2) allow correspondence between them and their relatives; and (3) allow Alexei Semyonov permission to visit them in the Soviet Union. Urges the President to protest Soviet violations of the Sakharovs' rights and to call upon other signatory nations of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe to join such protests.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 1985
Requires the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to arrange for an epidemiological study of any long-term adverse gender-specific health effects on women veterans of Vietnam as a result of exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange or to dioxins produced during the manufacture of such herbicides. Requires such study to be conducted in accordance with a protocol approved by the Director of the Office of Technology Assessment. Requires reports concerning such study by the Director to the appropriate congressional committees, at specified periods. Requires the Administrator, not later than 24 months after the date of approval of the protocol approved by the Director, to report to the appropriate congressional committees concerning such study, together with recommendations. Requires the Administrator, within 90 days after the submission of each such report, to publish in the Federal Register any actions proposed by the Administrator with respect to programs administered by the Veterans Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exclude the employees of States and local governments from the provisions of that Act relating to maximum hours. Revises the definition of "employee" under that Act to exclude any volunteer for a State, local, or interstate public agency, even if such volunteer is paid expenses or a nominal fee to perform the voluntary services.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Comprehensive Drug Law Enforcement, Prevention, and Treatment Act - Amends the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 to require that the Department of Justice Assets and and Customs Forfeiture Funds be used entirely, equally, and on an ongoing basis for drug law enforcement, prevention, and treatment.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Civil Rights Remedies Equalization Act of 1985 - Makes the remedies available under the anti-discrimination provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Education Amendments, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 applicable with respect to a State.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling Act - Prohibits the sale of carbonated beverages in beverage containers by retailers and distributors unless such containers carry a refund value of not less than five cents. Requires that retailers and distributors pay the refund on returned containers of brands sold by such retailers or distributors. Prohibits distributors and retailers from selling beverages in metal beverage containers with detachable openings. Preempts inconsistent State or local laws. Prohibits State and local governments from imposing any tax on the collection or return of refund values. Imposes penalties of up to $1,000 for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Expresses the sense of the Senate that no recess appointments should be made when the Senate stands adjourned or recessed within a session for a period of less than 30 days. Expresses the sense of the Senate that no recess appointments should be made of any person if: (1) such person has been nominated during the present presidential term; (2) the Senate has voted not to give its advice and consent; or (3) the appropriate committee has voted not to report such nomination to the Senate.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Expresses the sense of the Senate that it condemns the growing incidence of violence against health care facilities (most of which provide abortion services). Encourages the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Department of Justice to intensify their efforts and apprehend and convict the perpetrators of such violence. Urges the Department of Justice to use all applicable Federal criminal statutes against such persons.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1985
Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform and Extension Act of 1985 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to add as a condition for receiving a trade readjustment allowance the requirement that the adversely affected worker is enrolled in, or has completed, a training program for which a voucher is available. Suspends payment of such allowance to an adversely affected worker who has failed to begin, or has ceased to participate in, such a program when there is no justifiable cause for such failure or cessation, until the worker begins or resumes participation in a training program. Increases the maximum trade readjustment allowance to an amount equal to 78 (currently 52) times the amount of one week's trade readjustment allowance. Extends the coverage for trade readjustment allowances to 78 weeks. Deletes the provisions that permits an additional 26 weeks of trade readjustment allowances to finish a training program. Changes the provision dealing with job training. Makes each adversely affected worker covered by a certification eligible for a job training voucher. Declares that such voucher shall be in the amount of $4,000. Requires it to be used to defray the cost of any of the following training programs: (1) a training program provided by the State pursuant to the Job Training Partnership Act; (2) a training program provided by a private entity if it has been approved by a private industry council established under the Job Training Partnership Act; (3) training provided by an employer who agrees to employ the worker upon completion of the training for at least 26 weeks; (4) a training program approved by the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) if the Secretary determines that there is a reasonable expectation that the adversely affected worker will obtain employment upon completion of the program. Authorizes the State or the operator of the training program to redeem the training voucher from the Secretary when the adversely affected worker completes the training program. Prohibits an employer who provided training, and agreed to employ the worker for 26 weeks, from redeeming the training voucher if such employer: (1) is engaged in the same occupation from which the employee was separated and which was certified as an adversely affected occupation; (2) has not provided the worker with training and employment for at least 26 weeks; or (3) has terminated the employment of an employee in order to hire and train such worker. Requires any entity which redeems a training voucher pursuant to a training program purportedly approved by a private industry council to repay the amount of such voucher plus ten percent if the entity's training program was not in fact approved by a private industry council. Prohibits disqualifying a worker for unemployment insurance or for trade adjustment benefits because: (1) the individual is in training for which a voucher is provided; (2) the individual terminated employment which was not suitable employment to enter such training; or (3) of the application of certain State or Federal laws relating to availability for work, active search for work, or refusal to accept work to any week in which the worker participates in such training. Limits the amounts of subsistence expenses and travel expenses reimbursable under the job search allowance provision of such Act. Provides that adjustment assistance for firms shall be in the form of technical assistance only. (Current law provides for technical and financial aid.) Prohibits making any direct loans or loan guarantees for adjustment assistance for firms after enactment of this Act. Extends trade adjustment assistance programs for six years after enactment of this Act. Extends funding for adjustment assistance for workers and firms through FY 1988. Establishes within the Treasury a Trade Adjustment Assistance Trust Fund to carry out trade adjustment assistance for workers and firms. Provides for funding the Trust Fund. Directs the President to undertake negotiations to change the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to allow countries to impose a small uniform duty on all imports in order to use the revenue from such duty to fund trade adjustment assistance programs. Directs the President to report to the Congress six months after enactment of this Act on the progress of such negotations. Authorizes the President to submit a bill to the Congress that delays the imposition of such negotiations. Authorizes the President to submit a bill to the Congress that delays the imposition of such an import duty and that extends the funding of trade adjustment assistance for workers and firms for an additional year. Provides for expedited consideration of such a bill. Directs the President to report to the Congress as soon as the GATT allows the imposition of such a duty. Imposes an additional duty on all imports into the United States, including those imports granted duty-free treatment. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from tax a job training voucher received under a trade adjustment assistance program.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of Health and Human Services should immediately convene a working group of representatives from senior citizen groups, the hospital industry, physicians, and nurses to draft and provide for the distribution of a simple statement of Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) patients' rights and responsibilities.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1985
Dropout Prevention and Reentry Act of 1985 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to add a new title X, the Dropout Prevention and Reentry Act of 1985. (Redesignates the current title X as title XI.) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1987 through 1990 for such new title X. Directs the Secretary of Education, from such title X funds for any fiscal year, to allot 20 percent to each of five categories of local educational agencies (LEAs) (based on total elementary and secondary school student enrollments). Directs the Secretary, from the amounts allotted to such categories of LEAs, to award as many grants as practicable within each such category to LEAs whose applications: (1) have been approved; and (2) propose a program of sufficient size and scope to be of value as a demonstration. Limits an LEA to no more than one such grant in each of three fiscal years. Requires the amount of a grant to be, to the extent practicable, proportionate to the extent and severity of the local dropout problem. Limits the amount of a grant to 90 percent of the total cost of a project during its first fiscal year, 80 percent in the second, and 70 percent in the third. Sets forth grant application requirements (including plans for addressing the needs of pregnant minors and school-age parents). Directs the Secretary to give first priority within each category of LEA to applicants with either very high numbers or very high percentages of school dropouts. Sets forth requirements for review of LEA second or third year projects. Requires such grants to be used to carry out plans set forth in the applications. Lists activities such grants may also be used for (including counseling, remedial education, work-study, community-organization service, curriculum review, and school staff training). Requires at least 30 percent of each grant to be used for dropout prevention activities, and another 30 percent for dropout reentry activities (i.e. persuading dropouts to return to school and assisting former dropouts with specialized services once they return to school). Directs the Secretary, from amounts appropriated for FY 1986, to use a specified limited amount to conduct a one-year study of the nature and extent of the dropout program. Sets forth requirements for such study (including development of a model dropout information collection and reporting system and minimum reporting system requirements). Sets forth general provisions for title X, including provisions relating to withholding payments, annual reports, and audits. Requires that title X grants supplement other funds.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should propose to the Soviet Union the immediate resumption of negotiations toward conclusion of a verifiable test ban treaty.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat as long-term capital gain amounts actually paid to a taxpayer with respect to a small business participating debenture which constitute the distribution of a share of earnings of the issuer. Defines "small business participating debenture" (SBPD) as a written debt instrument issued by a qualified small business which: (1) is a general obligation of such business; (2) bears interest at a rate not less than specified by the Secretary of the Treasury; (3) has a fixed maturity; (4) grants no voting or conversion rights in the business to the purchaser; and (5) provides for the payment of a share of the issuer's total earnings. Defines "qualified small business" as one: (1) whose paid-in capital does not exceed $1,000,000 immediately before the small business participating debenture is issued; (2) the face value of whose outstanding SBPD's does not exceed $1,000,000; (3) which has no securities outstanding subject to regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission; (4) which derived more than 50 percent of its aggregate gross receipts from sources other than royalties, rents, dividends, interest, annuities, sales and exchanges of stocks or securities, and transactions in real estate; and (5) which is not under foreign control. Allows an interest expense deduction for interest and share-of-earnings payments made on such debentures. Treats losses on small business participating debentures as ordinary loss.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1985
Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Freeze and Arms Reduction Act of 1985 - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should immediately invite the Soviet Union to enter into negotiations with the United States which seek an agreement on a comprehensive freeze (a bilateral and adequately verifiable halt by the United States and the Soviet Union in all testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons systems). Declares that the President should inform the Soviet Union of the U.S. intention to engage in a bilateral halt in the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons systems. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) both during and after negotiations for a comprehensive freeze the President should pursue reductions in nuclear arsenals; and (2) a comprehensive freeze is entirely consistent with, and an essential part of, mutual and bilateral stabilizing reductions in nuclear forces. Requires both the Senate and the House Intelligence Committees to begin oversight hearings on verification procedures for the comprehensive freeze. Sets forth which committees and subcommittees may have members participate in such hearings. Requires the Intelligence Committees to report to their respective Houses within six months of enactment of this Act on the adequacy of U.S. monitoring systems and existing procedures for verifying Soviet compliance with the comprehensive freeze. Requires the reports to include: (1) an assessment of the nature and extent of Soviet activities and installations involved in the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons systems; (2) an assessment of current U.S. capabilities to monitor threatening changes in the status of Soviet nuclear forces under the comprehensive freeze; and (3) an assessment of additional monitoring systems and cooperative procedures that may be needed to increase monitoring confidence of compliance. Requires the Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency to begin preparing an operational plan for implementation of the comprehensive freeze. Requires the Director to report to the Congress on the plan within nine months of enactment of this Act. Requires the report to specify: (1) procedures for the cessation of activities and closure or conversion of facilities affected by the comprehensive freeze; (2) a program for the retraining and re-employment of Government and defense industry personnel directly affected by the termination of nuclear weapons-related activities; and (3) a program of economic adjustment assistance for adversely affected communities. Directs the President to submit semi-annual reports to the Congress on: (1) the status of U.S. and Soviet negotiation efforts; (2) Soviet military activities relating to the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons systems; and (3) any uncertainties concerning verification of the comprehensive freeze, the status of efforts to reduce those uncertainties, and the national security implications of those uncertainties. Imposes the following restrictions on nuclear testing, deployment and production only if the Soviet Union, within a specified time, informs the President that the Soviet Union will observe a bilateral halt in the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons systems. Prohibits obligating or spending appropriations for testing, producing, or deploying nuclear weapons systems, unless the Congress expressly provides otherwise. Allows the testing and deployment of specified nuclear missiles for a limited time. Sets forth the effective dates of such restrictions. Authorizes the President to request the Congress to remove the funding restrictions on the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons systems only if the President certifies to the Congress that: (1) the Soviet Union has failed to demonstrate a restraint with respect to nuclear weapons systems which corresponds to the restraint being shown by the United States; or (2) continuation of the funding restrictions would cause significant and irreparable damage to U.S. national security. Provides for expedited congressional consideration of such a request by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1985
Amends the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to prohibit the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System from exempting from such Act any class of credit transactions that are primarily for personal, family, or household purposes. Permits the Board to exempt (for five years) a type or class of business or commercial transactions only after determining that application of such Act to such transactions would not contribute substantially to effecting the purposes of such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1985
Fair Foreign Trade Practices Act of 1985 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to make the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), subject to the President's approval, responsible for determining whether import relief actions should be taken. (Currently the President is responsible for such determinations.) Provides that injurious industrial targeting by a foreign country or instrumentality may trigger import relief actions. Defines injurious industrial targeting. Requires the USTR to take the following actions if the USTR makes specified determinations: (1) suspend, withdraw, or prevent the application of benefits of trade agreement concessions; (2) direct customs officers to assess duties or impose other import restrictions on the products of, and assess fees or impose restrictions on the services of, such foreign country or instrumentality; (3) negotiate agreements with foreign countries to fully offset the burden or restriction on U.S. commerce; (4) submit to the President proposed administrative actions and legislation to restore or improve the international competitiveness of the industry that has been injured or threatened with injury; or (5) take any combination of such actions. (Current law authorizes but does not require the President to take certain actions.) Authorizes the USTR (currently the President) to take certain additional actions with respect to access of foreign entities to U.S. service sector markets. Requires the USTR, before taking any of the mandatory import relief actions, to: (1) publish its determination in the Federal Register; and (2) notify the President of any import relief determination and any action taken with respect to such determination. Provides for a 60 day waiting period during which the President may disapprove such determination thereby nullifying it. Requires the President to report to the Congress, within 15 days of disapproving such determination, the reasons for such disapproval. Requires the USTR, upon deciding to begin an import relief investigation, to publish notice of such intent in the Federal Register and request comments and information from other Federal agencies. Directs the USTR, in all investigations initiated pursuant to a petition, to present detailed questionnaries to the foreign governments or instrumentalities and the foreign enterprises concerned in order to develop information about the petition's allegations. Requires the USTR to base its determination on the best information available, which may be the allegations in the petition. Authorizes the USTR to file with the International Trade Commission (ITC) a copy of the petition or equivalent document in a case alleging injurious industrial targeting and request the ITC to make a determination on such allegation. Grants the ITC 90 days to make such determination. Sets forth the time limitations and procedures for determinations and actions by the USTR. Authorizes the USTR to take actions to compensate a foreign country or instrumentality adversely affected by any import relief action which the United States takes if the contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) disapprove such action. Directs the USTR to: (1) issue regulations governing import relief petitions, investigations, and hearings; (2) keep petitioners informed of all determinations and developments in their cases; and (3) report semiannually to the Congress on import relief petitions and developments. Provides for an investigative staff for the USTR. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Foreign Industrial Targeting Information Agency (the Agency) within the Department of Commerce to collect information on and monitor foreign industrial targeting. Requires the Director of the Agency, if the Director has reason to believe that a foreign government has initiated or plans to initiate a program to promote the economic development of a particular industry and significant quantities of the products of that industry may be exported to the United States or compete with U.S. products internationally, to collect information on such policies and actions. Authorizes the Director to request information from other Federal agencies. Requires the Director to initiate a special surveillance program if the Director finds that: (1) the foreign government intervention in the industry is substantial; and (2) U.S. imports of that industry's merchandise are likely to have significant effects on the competing, domestic industry. Requires the special surveillance program to: (1) seek information on the price at which the merchandise is being sold in its home market and other relevant information; (2) monitor import levels and prices of such merchandise and the effect of such imports on the competing U.S. industry; (3) collect and evaluate information on the potential adverse effects that the government intervention might have on the competing U.S. industry; and (4) publish quarterly reports on the information obtained through the surveillance program. Requires the Director to recommend to the Secretary that the Commerce Department or another Federal agency initiate a formal investigation of the imported merchandise if a surge of U.S. imports of such merchandise occurs or if such imports appear to be significantly suppressing U.S. prices of competing merchandise. Requires the Director to publish notice of the initiation of a special surveillance program in the Federal Register.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 1985
Job Security Bank Act of 1985 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to revise provisions relating to trade adjustment assistance program benefits. Requires workers, before receiving such benefits, to agree to repay certain amounts of such assistance whenever the worker begins full-time employment after total separation from the adversely affected employment. Requires such repayment in monthly installments over the course of the first year of such full-time employment. Sets forth formulas for determining the applicable repayment amount on the basis of the amount of income exceeding specified poverty levels from the full-time employment and the amount of program benefits received. Prohibits payment of program benefits to any worker if: (1) any amount was previously paid under retraining provisions for such worker; and (2) the worker continued or resumed, after the 60 day-period after the retraining ended, the adversely affected employment which had made the worker eligible for such retraining. Revises conditions for eligibility of workers for trade adjustment allowance payments. Removes the condition that all rights to unemployment insurance be exhausted. Adds a requirement that the worker submit a written certification that such worker will undertake retraining in a program approved by a private industry council established under the Job Training Partnership Act. Removes provisions relating to the prescription of regulations requiring workers to accept certain training or to search actively for work outside a certain area. Revises provisions relating to the weekly and maximum total amounts of trade adjustment allowances. Provides that, for any week during which the worker receives any unemployment insurance benefits, the allowance shall equal 50 percent of the amount of unemployment insurance benefits payable to such worker for a week within the period covered by the certification that occurs prior to the first exhaustion of unemployment insurance benefits. Sets the allowance at 100 percent of such amount for any week for which the worker does not receive any unemployment insurance benefits. Sets the maximum total amount of such allowances payable to a worker at 26 times such weekly amount of unemployment insurance benefits. Allows workers to elect: (1) the portion of the period for which such allowance is to be made (which may or may not include any week for which the worker is paid unemployment insurance benefits); and (2) to accept an allowance less than that to which such worker is entitled. Eliminates provisions relating to the application of State laws and to employment services. Revises provisions for retraining. Entitles certain workers to have approved retraining costs up to $3,000 paid for under the trade adjustment assistance program. Sets forth conditions relating to such retraining approval and payments. Prohibits such retraining payments to any employer who previously received such a payment for on-the-job training of a worker and who terminated such worker's employment within two years after such training began. Requires that retraining approval and determinations of the entitlement of a worker for payment of retraining costs be made without regard to whether a worker is separated from the adversely affected employment. Eliminates provisions relating to discretionary supplemental assistance, refusal to accept or continue training, and failure to make satisfactory progress. Eliminates provisions for job search allowances. Revises provisions for determining the amount of relocation allowances. Limits the amount of subsistence expenses to be taken into account to the lesser of the actual per diem subsistence expenses or 50 percent of the prevailing per diem allowance rate authorized under Federal travel regulations. Limits the amount of travel expenses to be taken into account to the prevailing rate authorized under Federal travel regulations. Eliminates provisions which provide for the termination of the trade adjustment assistance for workers program on September 30, 1985. Directs the Secretary of Labor to consult with the U.S. International Trade Commission and representatives of all organized labor unions at least twice every year on the determinations of eligibility as adversely affected workers and on the operation and effectiveness of the trade adjustment assistance for workers program. Directs the Secretary to report annually to the Congress on such matters. Revises group eligibility requirements under the trade adjustment assistance for workers to include coverage of certain situations where there are increased imports of articles like or directly competitive with articles that are composed of any other article produced by the worker's firm or an appropriate subdivision of such firm. Eliminates, effective one year after the enactment of this Act, provisions for an authorization of appropriations to the Department of Labor to carry out the trade adjustment assistance for workers program. Establishes, effective one year after the enactment of this Act, the Job Security Bank as a trust fund within the Treasury. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, as trustee of the Bank, to make annual reports to the Congress and to invest certain portions of the funds in the Bank. Authorizes appropriations out of the Bank to carry out the trade adjustment assistance for workers program. Requires that the Bank's funds consist of amounts received from the import duty imposed under this Act and any worker repayments of such assistance. Directs the President to immediately undertake to negotiate changes in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade so as to allow any country to impose a uniform duty of not more than one percent ad valorem on all imports in order to fund a trade adjustment assistance program for its workers. Imposes such a duty on all imports into the United States, effective one year after the enactment of this Act. Sets such duty at two-thirds of one percent ad valorem, but authorizes the President (at any time after two years after the enactment of the Act) to modify such rate to a uniform ad valorem rate which does not exceed one percent and which is sufficient to fund the trade adjustment assistance for workers program. Provides that, with specified exceptions, the amendments made by this Act shall be effective two years after its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 1985
Gay Head Wampanoag Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1985 - Establishes the Gay Head Indian Claims Settlement Fund in the Treasury. Authorizes appropriations for such fund. Provides that any transfer before the enactment of this Act of lands located anywhere in the United States or within the town of Gay Head, Massachusetts, on behalf of the Wampanoag Tribal Council, Gay Head Indians, or any other Indian tribe shall be deemed to have been made: (1) in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the United States that are applicable to such transfers; and (2) with the consent of the Congress. Provides for the extinguishment of: (1) any aboriginal title held by the Wampanoag Tribal Council, Gay Head Indians, or any other Indian tribe to such lands; and (2) any claim by such groups against the United States which is based on the transfer of such lands or any aboriginal title to such lands. Provides that personal claims to such lands shall not be affected. Sets forth specified conditions that must be met before the Secretary of the Interior can purchase such lands on behalf of the Gay Head Indians. Requires the Secretary, within 60 days of the enactment of this Act, to enter into negotiation for the survey and purchase of such lands on behalf of the tribe at a fair market value. Requires arbitration to take place if the Secretary and any owner of such lands are unable to agree on such value. Requires the Secretary to purchase such lands within a specified time after the price and other terms have been determined. Requires all rights, title, and interest in lands purchased by the Secretary to be transferred to the Wampanoag Tribal Council. Authorizes the Secretary to commence condemnation proceedings to acquire or perfect title to such lands. Sets forth specified conditions and limitations with respect to the alienation of such lands. Provides that the United States shall have no duties or liabilities with respect to the Council or lands after the Secretary has completed his duties under this Act. Provides that nothing in this Act shall affect the right of any Gay Head Indian entity to petition for Federal recognition or to receive benefits under such recognition. Subjects the Indian lands to the civil and criminal laws of Massachusetts. Sets a statute of limitations upon actions to contest the constitutionality of this Act. Vests exclusive jurisdiction over such actions in the U.S. District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 1985
Earmarks a specified amount of the FY 1986 funds appropriated to carry out agricultural development in rural areas under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for nutrition programs which reduce vitamin A deficiency.
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